Product of a Wild Past
by soprano193
Summary: Kate wanted to put her wild past behind her. But when a person comes back that reminds her of it, how will it change her life? And how will it affect her relationship with Castle?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have never written Castle fic before, but I can't get this idea out of my head. I would set this as partway through season 5, earlier in the season rather than later. And we will see where this goes! I hope you all enjoy! Tell me what you think!**

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><p>Kate was distracted, but not because of any of the usual reasons. Castle had been away for the last two hours, bugging Ryan and Esposito while they investigated at a strip club (and that was going to get old real fast…) and with both Ryan and Esposito gone as well, she couldn't hear any of their usual crazy antics. The station was no more or less busy than any other day. Still, she closed her eyes, listening to the comforting noises of a busy workplace, papers shuffling, phones ringing and quiet conversations. She lifted her head and looked at the time on her computer screen. Four minutes past five. As she refreshed her email once again, she allowed her heart to swell with hope, thinking that whatever she was waiting for would be there. When she refreshed to an empty screen again, her heart fell. She didn't know why she always got her hopes up, this update email hadn't been coming for a very long time.<p>

She was startled when Castle sat down next to her, plopping into the chair she had by her desk for him, holding out a chocolate ice cream cone to her, while licking his own strawberry one. "For you." He said, wagging his eyebrows.

She took it and smiled. This August had been hot, and she had made the comment to him earlier that she really wanted ice cream. "How sweet of you for remembering. Thank you Castle!" She resisted the urge to peck his lips, still trying her hardest to hide their relationship from the captain. His smile made it more difficult, as joyous laugh lines appeared around his face and she was reminded of just how juvenile he could be sometimes, and how much she loved it.

He shrugged. "Yeah, well getting Ryan to stop the car on the way back was harder than I thought it would be. I promised him the Ferrari for two days to get you that, so it had better be good."

She took a bite, and pursed her lips into a smirk that she knew drove him crazy. "I've tasted better." She teased. She stuck out her tongue and licked up the cone, catching a runaway drip of chocolate ice cream. "Mmm. So how was your meeting?" She asked between mouthfuls.

Castle leaned back in the chair. "Same as usual. I gave Gina two chapters and she yelled at me because four were due. She told me to stop wasting time, I told her I was doing research, and we parted ways." His ice cream was mostly gone, as he had a head start. He was starting to nibble on the waffle cone. He caught Kate looking at the computer screen. She wasn't reading anything, she was just looking at it, a sad expression on her face. He looked at it too. "What are you doing here?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just checking my email." She closed the window and looked at the time again, 5:07. She wondered how late she would be up this time, refreshing her screen over and over. She shook her head absently, she couldn't let this control her night. "What are your plans for tonight?" She asked in a quiet tone, looking towards him.

He grinned. "Nothing really. Alexis is with her mother in Paris, and Mother is hosting a cast party tonight at my house that I was hoping I could slip away from…"

His voice trailed as Esposito came running into the room. He held up a file. "Beckett, we've got some bodies."

Castle turned in his seat. "Bodies? As in multiple?" He grinned like a child being told they were going to Disney.

Esposito nodded. "Yeah. Two bodies, husband and wife, found in a secluded cabin in the woods. Lanie's already there, Ryan and I are leaving shortly." He pointed at the ice cream cone in her hand. "Join us when you finish your treat." He walked away, leaving them sitting at her desk.

Kate smirked as Esposito walked away, licking around her ice cream cone, catching all the chocolate drips as she went. She planned on enjoying it as long as she could. She needed the pick me up.

Castle was done with his, cone and all, and sat watching her, feet tapping rhythmically on the floor and fingers tapping impatiently on his legs. "How often do you get double homicides?" He asked, trying to mask his eagerness.

Kate chuckled. The number of double homicides she had done with him could be counted on one hand. "Not very often." She answered, savoring the last bit of ice cream. Her cone was soggy with chocolate flavored sweetness and she couldn't wait to eat it, it was her favorite part. She stood up "I can eat this on the road, Castle. Let's go." She picked up her keys from the desk and walked towards the elevator. She didn't bother to see if Castle was following. She knew he was, he always was.

She hopped into the driver seat in her Crown Vic, turned it on, and changed the radio station to today's hits. She finished her ice cream cone in three large bites, smiling like a child. As she pulled the car out, Castle grabbed her free hand and squeezed it, the only intimate physical contact she allowed him while on the job. She quickly glanced over at him, flashing a small smile and squeezing his hand back. "Thanks for the ice cream. I really needed that."

He nodded and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Anytime. You seemed off today, I thought it might help."

She smiled, her heart really lifting for the first time all day. "That's why you're the best." They rode in silence to the cabin in the woods, not releasing each other's hands. Their relationship was still fairly new, but she loved how easily he picked up on her moods and knew just had a cheer her up. Maybe it had to do with their interesting partnership, how they had been dancing around each other for four years, or the fact that he knew more about her than anyone else. She trusted him more already than she did any of her other boyfriends, and that was truly refreshing.

They pulled up to the cabin, and she noticed the black car near the garage, not pulled all the way in. It was covered in an impressive layer of pollen and dust. "I don't think that car has been used in a while." She said, pointing it out to him.

Castle shrugged. "Maybe they hike everywhere they go." He answered. He turned towards her, leaning close. "Ever been hiking Beckett?"

She smiled brighter and nodded. "Yeah, it's been a while though."

"I used to go with Alexis when she was younger. I'd love to go again."

She parked the car and struggled to put her business face on, and stop grinning like a lovesick puppy, something that was increasingly difficult the more she got to know Castle. "Let's solve this case first, then we can plan a hiking trip, okay?" She released his hand for the first time since getting in the car, and patted her waist, checking for the badge and gun she carried with her to each crime scene. She stepped out of the car and headed towards the secluded house.

It was crazy inside, mostly because the person who discovered the bodies was high, and didn't understand that he needed to stay away. He was loud, and yelling, freaking out about the bodies. As she got closer, Kate could see why. These weren't fresh bodies like her usual cases, they had been here for a while. The faces were unrecognizable, almost skeletal, with very little skin left behind. They were laid out on the floor, huddling together, like they had only each other for comfort. Kate knelt next to Lanie, getting closer to the skeletons. "What's the cause of death?" She asked quietly, not sure if there were any family members nearby, and not wanting to add to the noise of the room.

Lanie stretched out the fabric on one of the outfits, revealing a hole. "Single gunshot wound in both victims. It looks like she was killed first, shot in the chest. While he went to help her, the perp shot him in the head. They both would have died quickly." She brushed some hair out of the way, revealing the gunshot wound in his head.

"Any chance you can get a time of death?" She asked, knowing it was harder the older the bodies were. She didn't notice Castle standing behind her while she spoke to Lanie until she stood up and almost backed into him.

"I can help with that." She heard Esposito's voice from behind them, and they turned to look. "I ran the plates on the car outside. It's registered to Paul Belinsky. He and his wife, Bridget were reported missing two years ago, June of 2010 by the babysitter."

"I wonder…" Kate said out loud without thinking, and was met by perplexed stares from each member of the team. She shook her head, pushing the thought out of her head. "I have acquaintances named Paul and Bridget. I never knew their last names, and I haven't heard from them in a while." She explained. "It's most likely not the same people, right? Do you have any photos?" She asked, facing Esposito.

He handed her a framed picture covered in dust, one that he most likely pulled from a desk or table. "Here they are with their daughter. Do they look familiar?"

Kate looked at the picture and her heart fell. She finally knew why those emails stopped coming. Bridget was laughing, her long black hair flowing and brown eyes wrinkling in the corners. Paul's blonde hair was slicked back, and his blue eyes shone as bright as they ever did. And her heart broke for the little girl on the swing. Her long, curly, sandy blonde hair behind her and her hazel eyes glowing. She looked like she was squealing with delight, high up in the air. Kate rubbed the girl's face, praying nothing bad had happened to her, that she wasn't in a ditch somewhere with a gunshot wound of her own. "No. They aren't the same." She lied, handing the picture back to Esposito. "Excuse me, I think I need some air." She left without an explanation, leaving her team confused behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm sorry this isn't original… I am new to the fandom, I just finished watching all the episodes about a week ago, and latched on to the idea. Hopefully I can turn it into something that is more original (I have a few ideas!). So, I'm going to ride this out, and I hope that if you enjoy it, and don't mind my unoriginality, you will join me!**

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><p>Kate leaned against her car, breathing deeply. That little girl, that beautiful baby girl has lost both of her parents. She lost them so long ago, and probably doesn't even realize it. Does she think that they didn't want her? Did she go to close family members? Has she been stuck in the system? Did whoever killed her parents abduct her too? All these questions and more were flying through Kate's head. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but all she could hear was the sounds of the investigation. She wanted to escape, but she couldn't.<p>

She felt a warm presence next to her and opened her eyes. Castle was leaning on the car next to her, watching her intently. He placed his hand on the small of her back and rubbed his thumb up and down. It was an innocent but intimate gesture, making sure that she knew he was there for her. "Are you okay?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

She nodded slowly. "I will be. I hate cases like these." She closed her eyes again. "I lost my mother when I was nineteen. It was the most difficult thing I have ever been through." She pointed toward the house. "That little girl is five, and both her parents are gone. I just can't imagine." She answered him, not revealing all of the other thoughts going through her mind.

He hugged her from the side. "Well, Ryan is working on tracking down the daughter. Her name is Caroline. Esposito is looking for the babysitter who filed the missing person's report. Hopefully, we can find some answers soon." He ran his fingers down the back of her head, comforting her and calming her nerves. He stopped suddenly. "How did you know how old she was, the girl?"

She moved away from his hand, trying not to draw attention to themselves. The Captain still didn't know about them, and she wanted to keep it that way. "Well, in the picture she looked about three. If Paul and Bridget have been dead for two years that would make her five, right?" It amazed her how easily she lied to him. She knew exactly how old that little girl was, and she already knew her name, she just was safe to say it now. "I can do simple math, Castle."

"Okay." He answered, taken aback by her snippy response. He glanced at his watch. "Do you want to go home? It's getting late, and anything they find they can send to you."

She looked at the time as well, close to seven. She nodded. "Yeah. But if it's okay with you, I think I need to be alone." She didn't look at him while she said it. All the plans that she had for them that night, to get her mind off of the email she never received, flew out the window.

She heard him sigh, and could feel his eyes searching her face. "Okay. If that's what you need." He finally answered. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Esposito, telling him that she would get the Belinsky financials and work on them from home. She got into the car and closed the door. Looking out her window, she saw Castle still standing there, watching her with concern. She rolled her eyes. "You coming, Castle? Or are you catching a ride home from the boys?"

"Right." He said out loud. He walked around the front of her car and got in the passenger side, buckling silently and holding out his hand. Kate glanced at it, but pretended she didn't see it, and eventually he withdrew it and looked ahead. She couldn't tell if he knew she was ignoring him or not, but she didn't worry about that. Instead, she continued to let her imagination fly with stories of Caroline, trying not to imagine the worst.

She dropped him off in front of the loft, placing a quick peck on his lips. For a moment, in his arms, she could let her mind rest, and she thought that she might invite herself up.

As if reading her mind, Castle spoke. "Are you sure you don't want company tonight?" She looked into his blue eyes. It would be so easy to just head upstairs. But she had to solve this murder, for Caroline.

She shook her head. "I'm going to head home. I'll be fine." He squeezed her hand as he got out, one last reassurance, and disappeared into his building.

When she got home, she immediately pulled up the Belinsky's financials, combing over it for irregularities. She worked on it for as long as she could, writing down any irregularities into her little notebook. Soon, the numbers began blending together, and her head began to ache. She closed the window with the financials, and opened up her emails instead. She pulled up the last one she had received and read it with a smile on her face.

_Hello Kate!_

_We hope you are doing well. Carrie is so big now! She likes to sing along with The Little Mermaid, and she is an incredible dancer. She is also way too smart for her own good! We like to go to the park a lot, Carrie loves the swings. Her little heart is full of joy all the time, and we rarely catch her in a bad mood. _

_She started repeating the bad words that Paul says, so we are really trying to curb the language around here. And we are hoping to give her a brother or sister soon! Paul and I are very excited about that prospect, and hope that the next child will be just the delight that Carrie has been. _

_We think about you daily. Your generous gift has improved our family in ways that I cannot put into words. You were so selfless in that act, and we all thank you. We hope to see you soon._

_Love: Bridget, Paul and Carrie_

Attached were pictures of a little blonde girl. Some were taken at Disney with her favorite princesses, some with her on the swings, some with her at the recent trip to the beach. In all of them she looked happy. Kate hoped and prayed that Carrie knew just how much she was wanted by her parents and that she didn't think they had left her. She closed her laptop and walked to the bathroom. She opened a bottle of Aspirin, tapping two into her hand and putting the rest away. She threw her head back, swallowing the pills.

She made her way to the bed, collapsing into it. She had to be up for work in a few hours. She reached over to the opposite side of the bed that was usually occupied by Castle, and was upset when it was empty. Why didn't she just invite him over? Why not just explain? How did she explain? She shook Castle out of her mind, and thought instead of Carrie. But right now, she imagined Carrie happy, wherever she was. She tried her best to fall asleep with a smile on her face.


	3. Chapter 3

When Beckett entered the station the next morning, Castle was already there, coffee waiting at the desk. She sat down and took a drink, the sweet, warm flavor waking her up. She smiled at Castle, who was watching her carefully. "Thanks, babe." She took another sip and placed the cup down on her desk, opening her notebook to the notes she had written last night, with the discrepancies in the financials, or rather, the only discrepancy she could find.

"You look exhausted." Castle said, leaning in close.

She shrugged. "I hadn't had my coffee yet. I'll perk up soon though." She saw Ryan and Esposito coming toward her and sat up in her seat. "Any leads?" She asked.

Ryan opened his notebook. "I've located the daughter. She is living at a foster home in SoHo, and I have arranged for you two to go meet her after school today, I figured that Castle had experience with kids, so that would be the best option."

Kate felt one weight lift off of her shoulders, at least the girl was alive. She smiled. "Good. What about the babysitter?"

Esposito crossed his arms and leaned against his desk, facing them. "Marie Lincoln. She is twenty-five, and a student at NYU. She was babysitting for the Belinsky's to work her way through school. She's coming in later today for an interview." He walked over to the murder board, placing a picture on the board. The woman had platinum blonde hair and brown eyes, and she was smiling sweetly.

Kate pulled out her own notes. "Well, if she was working with them to pay her way through school, I don't know how they were paying her." She shuffled awkwardly as she looked through the pages in front of her, feeling eyes on her.

"What do you mean?" Esposito asked.

"I mean, it's not showing up anywhere in their financials. Money gets direct deposited every month, their salaries, but the only expense they seem to have is their mortgage. Nothing else comes out." She explained. "Literally, nothing. No family can live without expense."

"That's different." Castle leaned forward to look at the documents himself. "I would love to have learned how to live from that family."

Kate shook her head. "But that can't be. I saw their family pictures in the cabin. They went on vacations, they lived fairly extravagant lives. They couldn't have been expense free. It doesn't make sense."

"Unless they used cash." Castle suggested.

"Which wouldn't show up in those financial reports." Ryan pointed out.

Kate shook her head. "That still doesn't make sense, where were they getting all of that cash?" She took another sip of her latte and rested her head in her hand while she tried to puzzle this out.

Ryan walked over to the desk and took the papers from her. "I'll take all this and any other information we have to the forensic accountant, he can help us out with this."

Kate just nodded, feeling sleepy. She checked the time. Four hours until she would go interview Carrie with Castle, but she wasn't sure how much the younger girl would remember. She stood up suddenly, reaching for anything to do that would help her kill time. "I'm going to head over to Paul's workplace. Maybe someone there knows how he was getting so much cash." She started walking quickly toward the elevator, and was surprised not to hear footsteps behind her. She turned around. "Castle, are you coming?"

He looked surprised, and rose to follow her. She held the elevator for him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if you wanted space." He explained, although Kate hadn't asked.

She looked at him and smiled. "It's okay. Last night I wanted space. Today, I'm good." He flashed a smile back, reassuring her, and making her heart flutter. She loved it when he grinned at her like that.

They pulled up in front of Morgan Stanley quicker than usual for the traffic in the mornings. She pulled around the back and parked, doing her tap at the waist to check for her badge and gun. She looked at herself in the rear view mirror, making sure she looked okay, and got out of the car, where Castle was already waiting.

At the front of the building, there was a receptionist waiting. She had black hair pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes were an inviting green. "How can I help you today?" She asked with a high pitched voice.

"We need to speak with Martin Sanders please." Kate answered quickly.

"Okay, and what is your name?" The receptionist asked, pulling up the schedule on the computer.

Kate pulled out her badge. "Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. I need to speak with him immediately."

The receptionist made a worried face and called up to him, gesturing to them that they should sit. "He will be down shortly." She whispered, covering the end of the phone closest to her mouth. They sat in the chairs in the waiting area, and Kate watched the elevator doors.

"Why do they always do that?" Castle asked suddenly.

Kate looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Why does who always do what?" she asked her own question, hoping he would clarify.

"Receptionists. As soon as you say that you are NYPD, they always pull a face, like they did something wrong." He explained.

Kate laughed. "I don't know, Castle!" She had been doing this so long that it didn't even phase her anymore. "I think they just get nervous."

He sat for a moment and thought about that. "If they didn't do anything wrong, why get nervous?" he asked hesitantly.

"Because, sometimes no one believes you, and as we have learned, the evidence might all point in one direction, but it may point in the wrong direction."

He nodded, and was about to speak, when a man in a very expensive suit came up to them. "Detective, how can I help you today?" he asked, thrusting his hand out to her.

She shook it firmly. "Hi, I'm Detective Beckett, this is Mr. Castle. I need to ask you a few questions about Paul Belinsky."

His face fell. "Is he alright? I'm guessing not, I haven't seen him in years."

Kate shook her head. "I'm sorry. We found him and his wife dead last night." She watched his face fall more, and he took a seat next to Castle.

"He and I were close friends. My son, Jake and Carrie were the same age. Is she okay?" He asked, looking at them both with imploring eyes.

Castle nodded. "Yeah, she is okay, we are talking to her later today."

Martin Sanders breathed a sigh of relief. "That is great to hear. But, I don't know how I can help you." He stated.

Beckett moved forward, bringing herself closer so that she could read his face as she talked. "We found some interesting things in his financial report. Reportedly, they had no expenses, which is an impossibility. We were wondering if you knew how he would have come across a large amount of cash?"

He sat back in his seat and crossed his arms, closing off his body. "What are you asking?"

Kate shrugged. "Could he have been earning money under the table? Maybe making deals outside of the company, keeping the commission for himself?" She hated suggesting things like that, but it was the only thing that made sense.

He shook his head. "No. He couldn't have done that without my knowledge." He responded quickly.

"Is there anything you can tell us about the last time you saw him? Anything significant at all?" Castle asked.

Sanders stayed back in his seat, but he uncrossed his arms, and his eyes rolled up while he recollected the details. "All I remember is him mentioning that he was being harassed."

Kate raised her eyebrows. "Harassed how?"

"He didn't give any details, just said that Bridget was sick of it, and that he was ready to contact the authorities." Sanders answered.

Kate stuck out her hand again. "Thank you. That is the first I have heard of this, so it might just be the break we need. I'll be in touch if I need to speak with you again."

Sanders shook her hand. "Okay. Thank you detective." He began to walk away, and then turned around. "When you see Carrie, be gentle with her. That girl has been through a lot."

Kate nodded. "Will do." She watched him leave up the elevator, and looked at her watch. She grabbed Castle's shoulder. "Come on, it's almost time to meet with Carrie." She walked toward the door quickly, refusing to turn around and show him the eagerness on her face. She texted Esposito while she walked, confirming both the address and the foster parents names.

This time, when Castle gave her his hand, she held on. It was a tether, keeping her grounded and her emotions in check. No matter how nervous she was, no matter what she was thinking, she couldn't scare this little girl. It was in her best interests.

They pulled up to the address that Esposito had sent her. She parked out front of the apartment complex, checked for her badge and gun, and started to get out of the car before rethinking and leaving her gun in the glove compartment. Castle raised his eyebrow at her, questioning the action she had never done before. She always brought her gun with her. "She's a kid, Castle. She doesn't need to see my gun." She answered the question he never asked. She also remove the empty holster, tossing it in the backseat, recognizing that it may be scary to be young child as well. She jumped out of the car without another word and walk towards the front door to the apartment building.

Castle was next to her quickly, adapting to her fast-moving pace that she had adopted for the day. She flashed her badge to the doorman and explained that the De Soto's were expecting them. He allowed them up without a question.

She stood outside of the De Soto's door, and hesitated. Maybe this wasn't the best idea, maybe she shouldn't breeze into this child's life. Castle watched her warily before knocking on the door himself. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

She nodded slowly, not speaking as she listened to the shuffling feet on the other side of the door. When the door opened, she flashed her badge again. "Hi, I'm Detective Kate Beckett and this is Mr. Castle. We are here to talk to Carrie."

The young brunette at the door smiled brilliantly, her brown eyes sparkling. She held out her hand to Kate. "Welcome Detective Beckett, I'm Marie De Soto." She shook Kate's hand firmly. "Carrie is in her room. I can go and get her for you." She moved aside, allowing Kate and Rick to enter. She moved toward the back of the apartment, and gestured towards the couch. "Please, make yourselves at home."

As she disappeared, Rick took her up on the offer, sitting on the couch with his hands clasped in his lap. Kate stood next to the couch, positioning herself closer to the door. Mrs. De Soto came back around the corner with Carrie in tow. The girl waved shyly, her hazel eyes flickering back and forth between the two unfamiliar people in her house. Her curly blonde hair was unruly, as if she had just been jumping on the bed. It was long, about halfway down her back. Kate smiled and waved back at her. "Hi Carrie! I'm Kate, and this is Rick." She pointed to him, and then pulled out her badge, holding it out to the young girl hesitantly. "I am a police officer. We were hoping you could help us figure out what happened to your parents."

Carrie took the badge and inspected it. She turned it over and felt the ridges. When she handed it back to Kate, her mouth gathered on the left side of her face, and her eyebrows furrowed. "Where is your uniform?" She asked, looking into Kate's eyes.

Kate was silent looking back. It was somewhat eerie. Carrie looked so much like her father, it was uncanny, and Kate was transported back in time to that night from so long ago. Everything was like her father, except for those eyes. Those eyes were all Kate.

"She is a special police officer, she doesn't need to wear a uniform." Castle answered, and Kate snapped back to reality, glancing over at him and sending him a silent thank you. He raised an eyebrow back, confused at her hesitation, and she looked away.

She turned back towards Carrie, kneeling down on the ground so she could see the girl better. "But I do have a special uniform for important things, like press conferences. But I can come to work dressed in whatever I want."

The girl smiled. "Even your pajamas?" She giggled.

Kate laughed. "You know, I've never thought of that! I'll ask my boss and let you know, okay?" Carrie nodded, and kept smiling, brushing a curl out of her face. Kate took a deep breath. "Carrie, do you remember your parents?" she asked, and the girl's face fell.

"Yes." Carrie answered, nodding her head. "I have a picture of them. And Mom put her picture in my locket." She touched the circular locket that hung around her neck. She looked up at Kate, her eyes shining with tears that she hadn't shed, and asked the question that broke Kate's heart. "Are they okay?"

Kate wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't sure how to approach this subject of death with the five year old. The younger they were, the harder it was to talk about. She reached out and touched the girl's arm, and then removed her hand quickly. Her immediate reaction was to wrap her in a hug, but she realized how unprofessional that was, and changed her mind at the last second. "Somebody hurt them. A lot. But Rick and I are trying to figure out who." She was amazed by Carrie's strength, as she nodded and swallowed back her tears. Kate moved a little closer, bent down all the way, her arms resting on her knees. She took Carrie's hands in hers. "Do you remember your parents arguing with anyone the last time you saw them?"

Carrie's eyes drifted upward as she thought. Kate wasn't expecting much, she was three when she saw them last, and a three year old's memory isn't very good. Carrie returned her gaze to Kate. "No." Her mouth gathered again on the left side of her face as she inspected the strange woman who was holding her hands. "Have you ever come to my house before? When I lived with Mom and Dad?" She asked.

Kate shook her head, and her heart raced. Is it possible that this little girl could remember her from the three times they had met? "No, honey, I've never been to your house before." She answered truthfully. She had never known Paul and Bridget's last name, and she didn't have their real e-mail address. E-mails had been routed through an agency. She had no way to track them down. She squeezed the girl's hands, trying to get her back on track. "Do you remembering anyone threatening your parents? Even if it seemed silly, anything can help."

Carrie's eyes drifted again as she thought, and Kate had to smile at the expression on her face. Carrie looked at Kate again, shaking her head hesitantly. "No. But my Mommy was scared."

"Why was your Mom scared?" Castle asked, shifting his body toward her.

Carrie looked at him. "Somebody left a dead cat on our doorstep. Mommy said she was sick of it, and wanted to call the police."

Kate squeezed the young girl's hands again. "That must have been scary. Did she know who left it?" Kate asked, and Carrie shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember anything else." Carrie said, looking back up toward Mrs. De Soto for comfort. The young brunette pulled Carrie into a warm embrace, disconnecting her hands from Kate's. Kate watched them for a while, not sure if she should avert her eyes and give them a private moment.

Mrs. De Soto eventually stood, tapping Carrie on the back. "How about you go back to your room and I'll come see you soon, okay?"

Carrie nodded, turning again to wave at Kate and Rick. "Bye."

Kate held out a card with her number on it. "Wait, Carrie! If you remember anything at all, I want you to ask for help, and call me, okay?" She gave the card to the girl, a smile on her face. Carrie took it and nodded, and then left to her room wordlessly.

Castle stood up and shook Mrs. De Soto's hand. "Thank you for inviting us in."

She nodded. "Of course." She glanced back towards Carrie's room. "My heart aches for her." She turned back to them. "Did you know that Eric and I are her third foster home? And Eric's mother is really sick, so I don't know how long we can keep her either. And now her parents have finally been found, but…" she trailed off, a tear dropping from her eye.

Kate was holding back tears of her own. She reached out and squeezed Marie's arm. "You are doing well with her though. She looks well taken care of, and she obviously cares about you." She smiled reassuringly. "I'll keep you up to date." Her phone chimed, a text from Ryan, and she knew it was time to go. She looked towards Castle. "You ready to go?" she asked.

He nodded, shaking Marie's hand once more. "It was very nice to meet you." Kate hugged the woman tightly, and she and Rick left together.

Once inside the car, Kate couldn't help it anymore. She let her tears fall freely, not caring who could see. She felt warm arms wrap around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. She stayed like that for a few minutes, and he was so patient with her while she cried. She finally pulled away, shaking her head and trying to regain her composure. "I didn't want this to happen. This isn't what I planned." She muttered to herself while wiping a finger under her eye.

"You didn't want what to happen Kate?" Castle asked quietly, pushing her more than he had in the last few days.

She took a deep breath and her stomach flip flopped. She pointed toward the apartment. "This is not what I wanted when I gave Carrie up for adoption."

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><p><strong>AN: Surprise! Not really... But surprise for Castle. Once again, I know it's not completely original, but I hope I can make it more original, we just have to get through this stuff first. Thank you to everyone who has followed this so far!**


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